Former Police Commissioner Jailed For 20 Years

[Farma]

Source http://arabnews.com/

‘Thai Sentencing Will Improve Ties’

M. Ghazanfar Ali Khan, Arab News

RIYADH, 30 June 2006 — Thailand sentenced a former police commissioner to 20 years in jail yesterday for his complicity in the high-profile Saudi gems and jewelry theft case. The court decision is likely to put the era of strained relations behind and promote ties between Saudi Arabia and Thailand.

Chalor Kerdthet, former police commissioner of Thailand, who was in charge of investigating the $20-million jewelry theft case, was jailed for embezzlement yesterday. The diplomatic relation between Saudi Arabia and Thailand were downgraded to charge d’affaires level because of the cases.

“This sentence pronounced by a Thai criminal court in the 1989 case will help boost relations between Riyadh and Bangkok,” said Mohammed Lutfee, a spokesman for the Thai Embassy, here yesterday.

Mohammed Lutfee said that former police commissioner Chalor was accused of embezzling the Saudi gems along with eight other defendants. In Thailand, embezzlement is punishable by a maximum of 20 years in jail and Chalor has been given the maximum penalty.

The Bangkok-based court said that former cop was found guilty in a trial, which spanned 13 years. “Chalor’s team arrested the original thief, Kriangkrai Techamong, in 1990 and he was later jailed,” said the embassy spokesman.

Kriangkrai, who stole the pieces from a Saudi palace, was working as a cleaner. But, when the jewelry was returned to Riyadh, Saudi officials said only 25 percent of it was genuine. The embassy spokesman said that, “Chalor himself came to Riyadh to return the jewelry at that time.”

But, it was discovered later that this former police commissioner himself became involved in the case. Assigned as chief investigating officer in the theft case in 1990, the former police commissioner committed a series of crimes, including abduction, murder, ransom demands and a range of other serious offenses, including evidence tampering.

The case became more complex when four Saudi diplomats were murdered in Bangkok at the same time in 1989. Investigations into both the murders and the theft grounded to a halt after several years until Thai police announced in 1999 again that they have reopened both cases and new leads were being followed. But, the two cases — the theft case and the murder case — are still not fully solved to satisfy the Saudi officials or even senior Thai officials.

In March, an appeals court of Thailand also handed down death sentence to Chalor for murders in another related case, overturning an earlier sentence by the lower court of life imprisonment. The evidence clearly showed that Chalor was behind the murders of the wife and eight-year-old son of Santi Srithanakhan, a jeweler and key witness in the case. At that time, Chalor was found guilty of planning the pair’s abduction and murder with the intent of concealing his crimes and those of his associates, as accused by the prosecutors.

In fact, the case has become more complex. The case involves some 50 witnesses and eight defendants along with thousands of documents. Hence, a lot of time is needed by the concerned courts to solve the Saudi cases once for all. But, the delay has caused strained relations between the two countries, which has further worsened over the years.

In recent years, however, the two countries reported substantial growth in their trade relations. The total Saudi-Thai trade exceeds $2.9 billion annually.

[Jai Dee]

Chalor Kerdthes handed a 20-year jail term for embezzling some of the stolen Saudi gems

The Criminal Court yesterday convicted former police commissioner Chalor Kerdthes (ชะลอ เกิดเทศ) of embezzlement in connection with the Saudi jewelry theft and sentenced him to 20 years in jail.

The court found Chalor had abused his authority by embezzling some of the jewelries while he was investigating the theft case.

Another defendant, Rittisart Kaewdej (ฤทธิศาสตร์ แก้วเดช) was handed a seven-year imprisonment but this jail term was reduced to four years and eight months because he gave useful information during police interrogations.

Three other defendants were acquitted, one is still at large and one had died.

Chalor had already been sentenced to death by the Appeals Court for murdering the wife and son of jeweler Santi Srithanakhan (สันติ ศรีธนะขันธ์).

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 30 June 2006

[Jai Dee]

Officers escort Lt-General Chalor Kerdthet into Ratchada Criminal Court yesterday where the former policeman was convicted of extorting money.

Source: The Nation - 30 June 2006

[qualtrough]

The whole Saudi gems case would make for a fantastic book or movie, or has a book been written already?

Just the other day as I was waiting at a service center I met a Thai man and we started chatting. He spent something like 15 years working in Saudi. That ended when the Saudis banned Thai workers because of the gems case. I think I have had the same converstation many times. Lots of Taxi drivers used to work there. A total shame that a handful of people who were tasked with protecting and serving the Thai people ended up costing the nation billions of dollars. Wonder just how long this guy will spend in jail....

Edited June 30, 2006 by qualtrough

[astral]

The court found Chalor had abused his authority by embezzling some of the jewelries while he was investigating the theft case.

However you wrap it up, he is no better than a common thief

and seriously damaged the image of Thailand in the Middle East.

[thomo]

The core of capitalism (and thus the developed free world) and a major part of human nature - greed, self interest. Every Human has the ability to do similar things when left alone and in charge of $20,000,000 worth of gems.

Sure you're gonna regret it when you're getting your face blown apart by the firing squad, or spending 20 years in a room with 50 virus infected murderers and rapists - but all you're gonna be seeing is 40-60 years of Dom Perignon for breakfast, bevvies of penthouse models, 5 star hotel jacuzzi's and the odd $100,000 a night massage parlor.

...and you're gonna go home to your struggling lifestyle of trying to get by on your below average salary and 20 year mortgage, waking up every morning to the sound of the neighbours screaming kids, and be able to sleep well every night without thinking of what could be?

Edited July 1, 2006 by thomo

[penzman]

17 years!!! The Saudis never gave up. They must have encountered multiple barrages of coverups and incompetence...